“I Know I was Wrong and my Apology Is Sincere” – Lara Spencer Reflects on On-Air Blunder, BUT shows she’s Professional and Worthy of Forgiveness!
Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer issued a public apology on Tuesday via Twitter after offending Hispanic viewers with her crass celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
During a brief segment on Monday morning, the GMA anchor, with margarita in hand and sombrero on her head, announced enthusiastically that today was ‘Cinco de drinko’.
The outburst caused a backlash from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists who bemoaned the lazy characterization north of the border as a day to get drunk and not as the more sombre time of reflection in Mexico.
Issuing her apology just before 6pm on Tuesday, Miss Spencer said that she ‘Got carried carried w (sic) excitement over Cinco de Mayo celebration on GMA – sorry.’
John Quinones, her colleague at ABC and host of What Would You Do? accepted her Twitter apology saying, ‘Thanks, Lara. I know you meant no harm.’
Miss Spencer’s apology follows that of MSNBC’s for their insensitive on-air celebration of the popular Hispanic holiday.
Early on Monday the network produced and broadcast a segment that featured a staff member onscreen wearing a sombrero, shaking maracas and taking a swig from a bottle of tequila which was punctuated with ‘olé’.
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Sorry: Lara Spencer’s apology came one day after her crass representation of Cinco de Mayo on GMA
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Acceptance: ABC colleague John Quinones tells Lara Spencer that he is happy she has said sorry
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GMA team: (from left to right) Amy Robach, Michael Strahan, Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos and Lara Spencer
The network said on Tuesday the interlude on its Way Too Early show on Monday just before 6am EST featuring correspondent Louis Burgdorf and host Thomas Roberts wasn’t intended to be disrespectful.
The show apologized online and says it will express its regret on Wednesday on the air.
‘On Monday, Cinco De Mayo, ‘Way Too Early’ made sarcastic references to the way some Americans celebrate the holiday. It was not our intention to be disrespectful and we sincerely apologize for the ill-advised references,’ a statement posted to the show’s website said.
During the slot, Burgdorf wanders across the screen wearing a sombrero, shaking maracas and swigging from a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila – as the network’s misguided attempt to point out that Monday was Cinco de Mayo.
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MSNBC has come under fire after one of their hosts donned a sombrero and maracas during a Cinco de Mayo segment on Monday
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MSNBC is set to apologize on-air tomorrow for the segment which showed a host Louis Burgdorf swigging from a bottle of tequila
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Host Thomas Roberts also danced in circles with maracas in front of a sombrero
‘It’s also an excuse to drink tequila on a Monday morning at work for Louis,’ Roberts said, adding ‘you have to drink the whole thing and eat the worm.’
He referred to it as his ‘go-go juice’.
Hugo Balta, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, says it was abominable that the segment was done by a news organization.
‘This is simply the worst example I have seen of a discriminatory stereotypical portrayal of any community by any media.’
He says it feeds ‘the ignorant misconceptions of a rich and proud people who unfortunately are too often portrayed as caricatures to be scoffed at’.
The holiday marks an 1862 battle victory by Mexican troops. It is celebrated in the U.S. with parades and revelry.
